MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The following is an update from Mayor Frank McGehee, and Health Officer Candice Davenport, regarding COVID-19, coronavirus, in the Township:

Good Evening my fellow residents,

The Maplewood Public Health Division now has a total of 57 coronavirus COVID-19 cases including one death. The new cases range from 30 to 95 years of age. The Public Health Division is investigating and obtaining the recent contact history for the new cases, including contacting anyone who has potentially been exposed.

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The NJ Department of Health has reported 22,255 confirmed cases in the state of New Jersey which includes 2,413 in Essex County. However, we do have some good news to share: three Maplewood residents have recovered and are healthy.

Finally, I want to leave you tonight with a letter from our Health Officer, Candice Davenport.

Dear Community:

I want to say thank you.

Thank you to everyone for doing their part in staying home and avoiding gatherings in public spaces.

Thank you to those that are only going out for essential needs and keeping a six feet distance from others.

Thank you to all who have donated to our hospitals, who brought food or gift cards or essential needs to first responders and families.

Thank you to the families in quarantine who are doing the right thing by staying home if they are sick.

Thank you to each of you for the simple kindness of smiling and waving from across the street.

Thank you to everyone who continues to follow our guidance during this public health emergency.

Many of us have seen the graphic and heard the term “flattening the curve.”

In order for us to understand what flattening the curve means and why we are fighting to sustain these efforts please understand that:

Staying home is the most important protective (and preventative) measure each and every one of us can do. Doing so takes courage and resolve.

Staying home and minimizing our interactions with others who are not in our household will reduce the number of people who will get sick with coronavirus, COVID-19. We are protecting our health and the health of others.

Most importantly, we are buying the healthcare system time. We are preventing the healthcare system from reaching a breaking point, that dotted line where the healthcare system will no longer have the capacity or the resources to provide the health care that is lifesaving, critical and necessary.

While some cases have been mild and have or will recover, other cases are so extreme that they require hospitalization. In some cases, the virus has prematurely taken the lives of people who had many more years of health and life ahead.

While we each are dealing with this in our own way, this is a collective struggle. As the healthcare workers say, “We stay here (at the hospitals) for you. You stay home for us.” Together, we are doing our part in preventing the illness from spreading and we are in the fight to keep our healthcare system viable. Now more than ever, our interconnectedness to, and dependence on others has never been clearer.

In addition to staying home, please stay at home especially if you are sick.

Please wash your hands each time you come in from a public space.

Please limit your gatherings and stand six feet from people in your interactions.

Please cover your cough and sneeze.

Please refrain from visiting anyone who is elderly or has underlying health conditions but

Please call or “Facetime” elderly or those with underlying health conditions because in this time of isolation, our contact with another person can be the bright moment of the day.

Please make an effort to reach out and check on each other. Connecting to one another is affirmation of life.

If you have received a positive confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 from your healthcare provider but have not heard from our Public Health Division in 24 hours of your diagnosis, please call the Maplewood Public Health Division at (973) 762-8120.

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